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Demolition startup

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#23 ·
Heavy Equipment School....

To answer your question...

you can get lots of experience at Montgomery County Community College, this fall in their HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATING class, it is not far from you, located in Blue Bell, PA. Contact Joan Branch of the college for details. It is very reasonably priced. This is where you need to start. Spend your money on school first, get some seat time on the equipment at the school, THEN go out into the exciting awesome world of Excavating & Demolition!
 
#24 ·
How much fun would that be? Learn by doing, that's what I say.

Start demolishing things in your spare time, free of charge. Something small, like a neighbors shed or garage. Let it be a surprise, while they are out. They will probably thank you for it! Most sheds and garages are filled with useless junk anyway.

As you gain confidence you can start knocking down larger things like water towers and stadiums. That's when the real money will start rolling in! I would charge at least $25/hr for a good sized stadium.
 
#25 ·
OK. Now that you have been thoroughly clowned here and in the other threads lets get serious.

Have you even worked a day in construction? This is a serious question. Your threads are asking questions that show complete ignorance of a field you want to start a business in. Tools are probably the simplest part of demolition. Do you know what certifications, training and licenses you need in your state? What about insurance? That is what you should be asking.

Here is why: demolition and excavation are inherently dangerous activities. Accidents can be expensive. Going into it with no experience and no training is a good way to lose your money quick, if you are lucky. If you are not lucky you or someone else could end up dead.

If you are serious about getting into the field I would work in it before I would ever think about starting a business on my own. If you really have the money put it somewhere safe and get a job as a laborer. I guarantee after six months you will know what tools to buy. If you simply must start at the top, invest in an existing business and work for them.
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
I worked construction for about two years. I have no experience in demolition. I have my safety registration license, home improvement contractor and contractor sales person licence. I have my workers comp, GL and disability insurance. I won a bid on a project with a PLA on it. I am not performing the work.
 
#28 ·
why take good money and put into a demolition company!?

your going to take a bunch of money and turn it into hard dirty money...

before the internet you could have done this and not gotten clowned for it aside from those that know you personally.

nowadays you can come up with a scheme, hop on the internet and ask a bunch of pros how to do their job. its certainly hard to take that seriously.

you could buy a kfc or something? there may be a kfc owners forum...
 
#29 ·
I would say you should get more field experience go to work for your comp. 2 years is not enought to be dangerous in this field. Wait till the economy picks up then go small you do the work and take the risk (not someone else) Personally I think your a fool but that is how osha makes new laws.

This reminds me of a joke 2 guys win the numbers one says to the other what are you going to do with your. The fella replies I'm going to see the world with my family and enjoy what life I have left. The second said I'm staying in construction till it gone.
 
#30 ·
mnjconstruction said:
Hey im pretty sure we are distant cousins. I heard you came into quite a wind fall, You dont suppose I could borrow 12k for snowmobile?

Lol, All buisness is hard when you first start. Make sure you have a few years of capital saved up, you will need it! Other then that get legal, buy some equipment and find some place to go play with it! Stay with it for about 5 years, if your making profit in that time, your doing wicked good and keep at her! Hit her hard and dont look back
Good Luck:thumbup:
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Why so you could through it away on a ski doo now a polaris thats another thing new 800 155 rmk. Where do you ride?
 
#31 ·
solar guy said:
I have done years of demolition its not fun its dangerous. I have demolished factories houses stores you name it. I can tell you some stories. But before we go into any of that there is no insurance company in their right minds would cover you
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That's for sure! While the insurance industry usually has a bad reputation for being difficult to deal with and just a money-grabbing enterprise, this is an example of how insurers perform a good public service.

Those who are not qualified to go out on their own will not pass the underwriter's scrutiny and won't be able to get the insurance coverage required to be in business.

Those who are almost there, but not quite, may find the insurance costs prohibitive. Or restrictions will be put in place or changes required to the way the business is risk managed before acceptance. We help weed out those who shouldn't be doing business.

P.S. ABDemolition - This is no slight to you personally. You've been given lots of good advice re getting practical personal experience before trying to start your own business. Good luck in your endeavours.
 
#32 ·
ABDemolition said:
I worked construction for about two years. I have no experience in demolition. I have my safety registration license, home improvement contractor and contractor sales person licence. I have my workers comp, GL and disability insurance.
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You may have General Liability coverage but it likely only covers your operations in general construction or home improvements. For excavating and demo work, you need XCU (Explosion, Collapse, Underpinning) cover. It's not easy to get and it's expensive. You should check with your insurance agent/broker as it is doubtful you currently have this coverage.

Also, if you start doing demo work, you will have to get your Workers Comp rate classes revised to reflect the change in work.
 
#33 ·
I have never worked a larger 'demolition' project, but must perform some in some circumstances, such as replacing a main beam in a two story structure. I don't have training in the engineering which would train you to understand loads/point loads/stresses and more, but try my best to grasp those loads when removing integral parts of the structure for replacement. Take away too much and that could mean disaster or death.

Education-get it somewhere. Even if you are hiring educated machine workers, you'll still need to know for bidding purposes, unless you hire experienced bid/salesman.

Best of luck.
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
#40 ·
ABDemolition said:
Thank you to everyone that took the time out to give me advice on starting my own demolition business. A year later we have over 1.6 million in sales and have been yahoos small business of the month and featured in crains Ny business. Below is a link to our story and again thank you for all your help.

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/blogs/profit-minded/ironworker-entrepreneur-quintupled-income-000212946.html#more-id
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How come that company is a different name from yours as well as your personal name hmmm
 
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ABDemolition
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